Maruti S-Cross : Official Review

This is a discussion on Maruti S-Cross : Official Review within Official New Car Reviews, part of the Team-BHP Reviews category; Originally Posted by @viral
There is something that I have noticed in almost all turbocharged Diesel engines that I can ...

There is something that I have noticed in almost all turbocharged Diesel engines that I can hear the turbocharger wheezing if I kill the engine too soon. Have experienced this in Nissan, Ford, VW but not in the 1.3 DDIS national engine. Any idea why? Infact in other engines I can hear a whistle when the turbocharger kicks in but have never heard in 1.3 DDIS.

I think you are referring to the turbo whine.It's there but very faint. Try driving with the windows rolled down next time, you will hear it. Moreover the turbo has a very silent blow-off. The most noisier ones I have heard is in the Scorpio and Safari.

My S-cross has covered around 6000 kms and I have changed the bulbs to a 130/90 hella and the horns as well . The car is suprisingly fast and it does need a better set of horns .

The problems with the car is that the suspension is woefully soft and bottoms out at the rear . The steering is a bit vague on the turns and is not so confidence inspiring .

Great! Can you share some insight on the light change? I am guessing ceramic holders without cutting wires. How was the wiring for the horn done?

I felt the suspension a bit stiffer than usual and it has never bottom'd out for me. I felt the steering feedback better than most cars, but not as great as the fords. A different than usual feedback, may be your driving style and expectations are different.

Slightly OT question i like to ask.i have scross 1.6 alpha bought in feb 2016.to be honest i am more than happy with performance.at the time of booking dad opted for maximum loan which calculates to emi of around 24k/month. Now my dad and i had discussion over this and we came to conclution that we are not using the car regularly( 7k km in 6 months with 90% driving in city) somehow dad are now looking to sell the Scross and thinking about buying hatchbacks like swift or grand i10 and invest remaining money in our business which is the best bet according to him.as expected i am not that happy with this saga but somehow i have to accept the fact that we are not able to justify the price we paid for it. Right now i want to know is there any way i can reduce the current emi by paying additional amount to the bank? I just want to reduce the emi so that i can convince my dad to keep this car

Selling the S-Cross will be a depreciation disaster as it is such a new car. Also you will have other headaches like transfer of hypothecation, possible loan transfer etc. Which bank is your loan with? Usually banks allow prepayment without any charges and this will definitely reduce the EMI. Selling the S-Cross now and getting another new car would IMO, be more of a burden to your finances.

I felt the suspension a bit stiffer than usual and it has never bottom'd out for me. I felt the steering feedback better than most cars, but not as great as the fords. A different than usual feedback, may be your driving style and expectations are different.

A question to all s-cross owners:

Did you ever feel the rear fish tailing at any point?

Completely agree with you - haven't bottomed out, and am quite enjoying the steering which weighs up surprisingly nicely. Not light like a Hyundai or the Etios, but not Fiat heavy either making it perfect for the city/highway mix.

Regarding fish-tailing - I have experienced it on slightly wet tarmac roads - the JK's aren't too confidence inspiring but I expect it to be better with nicer rubber.
This, a slightly heavy clutch coupled with a notchy gearbox (a pain in monsoon traffic), and poor brake pedal feel are the only cons in my opinion with the vehicle. The family though loves it - dad can't remark how happy he is with the purchase every time he sits in it and it has become his car of choice for long intra-city travelling. Even my friends are quite impressed with the ride/handling and overall comfort she provides.
Not bad given most of these guys are your typical German loving auto-enthusiasts!

Yes it has happened with me also in my 1.3. I got scared to the level that I redid the tyre alignment and balancing, because my usage is mainly on highways. I couldn't take the risk however small it seemed. This was happening at around 15K kms.
After the 20K service and one more scheduled alignment and balancing at around 22K Kms, things have changed for better. Let me also tell you that I had changed the tyres to Michelin Primacy LC on day 1. So, I believe you can't blame on tyres also.

Have you got that rear brake things replaced under the recent recall? If yes, then do feel the brakes have lost that sharp bite?

That is what I meant by suspension being woefully soft and bottoming out . The suspension bottoms out on small patches and pot holes and the rear just fishtails . The damping on the rear is inadequate .There is a noticeable bounce on the rear and I suspect that the front also needs a bit of tuning so that the steering is bit more lively

The rear fishtailing is the effect of suspension being inadequate .

Quote:

Originally Posted by govigov

Great! Can you share some insight on the light change? I am guessing ceramic holders without cutting wires. How was the wiring for the horn done?

I felt the suspension a bit stiffer than usual and it has never bottom'd out for me. I felt the steering feedback better than most cars, but not as great as the fords. A different than usual feedback, may be your driving style and expectations are different.

A question to all s-cross owners:

Did you ever feel the rear fish tailing at any point?

I changed the lights to 130 /90 without cutting any holders . Basically , Used a philips wiring kit .

The horns were replaced in the same way . Used a relay which came with the set of horns . I bought the loudest hella (red ones with the biggest diameter ) . I did not opt for roots because I did not want the sound of a truck .

Last edited by Vid6639 : 11th August 2016 at 17:10.
Reason: merging posts. Pls. use the edit option when replying within 30mins. Thanks,

That is what I meant by suspension being woefully soft and bottoming out . The suspension bottoms out on small patches and pot holes and the rear just fishtails . The damping on the rear is inadequate .There is a noticeable bounce on the rear and I suspect that the front also needs a bit of tuning so that the steering is bit more lively

The rear fishtailing is the effect of suspension being inadequate .

I don't think S-Cross suspension is very soft. It's on stiffer side. I have not noticed rear fish tailing even while pushing it on corners.

Steering feel could have been better. Also there is a dead spot at straight ahead position.

Completely agree with you - haven't bottomed out, and am quite enjoying the steering which weighs up surprisingly nicely. Not light like a Hyundai or the Etios, but not Fiat heavy either making it perfect for the city/highway mix.

Regarding fish-tailing - I have experienced it on slightly wet tarmac roads - the JK's aren't too confidence inspiring but I expect it to be better with nicer rubber.
This, a slightly heavy clutch coupled with a notchy gearbox (a pain in monsoon traffic), and poor brake pedal feel are the only cons in my opinion with the vehicle. The family though loves it - dad can't remark how happy he is with the purchase every time he sits in it and it has become his car of choice for long intra-city travelling. Even my friends are quite impressed with the ride/handling and overall comfort she provides.
Not bad given most of these guys are your typical German loving auto-enthusiasts!

Even I changed the tyres when i noticed fish tailing from the OE JK to Hankook Neo2 . After replacing the tyres , the fish tailing was still there . Then upon deeper inspection I found that the dampers are too soft .Try going on uneven roads or rough patches at more than 50-60kms /hr . You will notice that the rear does lose contact with the road surface .

Honestly , a wagon R suspension seems to be much better set up . The suspension is stiffer and even though it is a tall boy it is much better planted on the road than the S-cross .

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr.Naren

I don't think S-Cross suspension is very soft. It's on stiffer side. I have not noticed rear fish tailing even while pushing it on corners.

Steering feel could have been better. Also there is a dead spot at straight ahead position.

You get the feeling that it is stiffer because the damper is weak . So you are more exposed to the spring action than the damping action of the suspension . So instead of a more controlled rebound , what you experience is a more instantaneous rebound . Many people get the feeling that the suspension is stiffer . But in reality it is not stiffer but points to a weaker suspension . Just try this on your S-cross . Open the rear hatch door and try pushing the rear towards the bottom . You will find that it goes down easily and comes up really fast .

Mod Note : Please use the EDIT or MULTI-QUOTE buttons instead of typing one post after another on the SAME THREAD!

Honestly , a wagon R suspension seems to be much better set up . The suspension is stiffer and even though it is a tall boy it is much better planted on the road than the S-cross .

I have driven new Wagon R. One of my relative has it. Be it on corners or straight line stability, it can't be even compared with S-Cross. S-Cross drives like an European car. It is irrational to compare with Wagon R. My Kwid has better dynamics than Wagon R.

Quote:

Originally Posted by greatmana2000

You get the feeling that it is stiffer because the damper is weak . So you are more exposed to the spring action than the damping action of the suspension . So instead of a more controlled rebound , what you experience is a more instantaneous rebound . Many people get the feeling that the suspension is stiffer . But in reality it is not stiffer but points to a weaker suspension . Just try this on your S-cross . Open the rear hatch door and try pushing the rear towards the bottom . You will find that it goes down easily and comes up really fast .

I would like to get corrected if I am wrong. I have driven Hyundai cars with soft suspension setup like Verna, Old I20 etc. Those cars would thud on potholes. Also straight line stability was just average. I have never noticed this thud effect in S-Cross. Also, the ride gets better as you go faster.

I have driven new Wagon R. One of my relative has it. Be it on corners or straight line stability, it can't be even compared with S-Cross. S-Cross drives like an European car. It is irrational to compare with Wagon R. My Kwid has better dynamics than Wagon R.

I would like to get corrected if I am wrong. I have driven Hyundai cars with soft suspension setup like Verna, Old I20 etc. Those cars would thud on potholes. Also straight line stability was just average. I have never noticed this thud effect in S-Cross. Also, the ride gets better as you go faster.

What I meant was even though the wagon R is a tall boy design , the suspension is well sorted out . Kwid is not a tall boy design . The suspension is on the stiffer side on the wagon R , and the damping is also perfect for its design . I was trying to compare the suspension on different vehicles from the same manufacturer .

There may be multiple reasons for the "thud" effect . I get the thud effect even on my punto . On the punto the shock absorber is stiffer and if there is not much passenger load then there is a pronounced thud . On a verna probably the damper travel is limited and the thud might be due to the bump stop . My 2007 elantra is a different Hyundai compared to the vernas and accents . My elantra has a well sorted suspension .

On the S-cross the ride gets better with increase in speed and probably that is because of the stupid EPS . The EPS seems to be over sensitive at lower speeds and at higher speeds it gets better . At lower speeds the steering is a bit vague . I am trying to find the part nos . of the struts and shock absorbers in the UK version of the car . I know for sure they are from Kayaba . The Indian made shocks definitely have a problem with compression and rebound .

I am trying to find the part nos . of the struts and shock absorbers in the UK version of the car . I know for sure they are from Kayaba . The Indian made shocks definitely have a problem with compression and rebound .

I think what we get here is from Gabriel. I find the suspension setup very similar in SX4 and S-Cross. Kindly update here if you could source UK parts.

Sou_3749,
I had replaced the stock lamps with Bosch Gigalight 120 plus. It has some improvement over the stock lamps and it's a little whitish (4300K).

Wattage is same as that of stock 60/55 W. Unfortunately I do not have the before / after scenario pictures. Did not venture for a highway run after the replacement, but in City, I can see some improvement (May be 20-25% gut feel). It's nowhere near the 120+ % they claim on throw/output.

After doing some research, finally changed the bulbs to extreme vision 3400k( not extreme vision plus- 3700k) while the wattage remained unchanged. This is being sold as a MGA part and approved by Maruti. The reason for not going for higher wattage or night breaker is obvious(warranty). What I understand is the reflector is incompetent to provide huge improvement just by changing bulbs. Surprisingly the change has improved the visibility by at least 30% ( advertised 100% is a myth). I have done the same change in my Ritz earlier and was quite happy with the upgrade and most importantly it never fused in 3 years.
I will post some pictures of the new setup. People interested in Bangalore can approach Mandovi sarjapur road. I will assess the improvement in due time and possibly go for after-market projector setup in future.

Regarding fishtailing and weak suspension, the opinions are divided. As a previous owner of wagonr and ritz, I can safely say that there is no comparison with S-Cross in any department, be it steering directness, suspension setup, ride and handling. Wagonr has the worst suspension setup and ultra light eps. Coming to other cars that I have driven, only Rapid and punto have marginally better setup. In S-cross what I have observed is the transition from smooth to little rough ride is sudden which gives the feeling of unsorted suspension. I do agree that there is scope of improvement, but the setup is definitely ranks within top 5 of the cars sold under 15 lakhs.

After doing some research, finally changed the bulbs to extreme vision 3400k( not extreme vision plus- 3700k) while the wattage remained unchanged. This is being sold as a MGA part and approved by Maruti. The reason for not going for higher wattage or night breaker is obvious(warranty). What I understand is the reflector is incompetent to provide huge improvement just by changing bulbs. Surprisingly the change has improved the visibility by at least 30% ( advertised 100% is a myth). I have done the same change in my Ritz earlier and was quite happy with the upgrade and most importantly it never fused in 3 years.
I will post some pictures of the new setup. People interested in Bangalore can approach Mandovi sarjapur road. I will assess the improvement in due time and possibly go for after-market projector setup in future.

Regarding fishtailing and weak suspension, the opinions are divided. As a previous owner of wagonr and ritz, I can safely say that there is no comparison with S-Cross in any department, be it steering directness, suspension setup, ride and handling. Wagonr has the worst suspension setup and ultra light eps. Coming to other cars that I have driven, only Rapid and punto have marginally better setup. In S-cross what I have observed is the transition from smooth to little rough ride is sudden which gives the feeling of unsorted suspension. I do agree that there is scope of improvement, but the setup is definitely ranks within top 5 of the cars sold under 15 lakhs.

How much do the extreme vision bulbs cost ? My observation of different high wattage bulbs which I have used , I found Bosch 100/90 to be good enough compared to phillips , Hella . I found the Osram bulbs to be a little better than most of the bulbs . Less instances of getting blown .
Higher wattage bulbs tend to have a more pointed beam pattern than the original bulbs .Changing to higher wattage bulbs is better as the reflector dome in the S-cross seems to be bigger and deeper than most . I have also noticed that changing the bulbs to higher wattage invariably means re-aligning the headlight beams . The light throw pattern seems to reduce and the beams need to be re focussed to a longer distance .

I have the latest model of wagon R and I can tell that the suspension is much better sorted out for that car than the suspension set up on the S-cross . Regarding the steering lightness of Wagon R at lower speeds the steering is light , but the transistion from low to high speeds is seamless . Meaning the steering weighs itself in a very linear fashion than that of the S-cross . With regard to Punto , I feel that the handling is better in the Punto . I did change the suspension set up of my Punto to pre-2010 for some time . The S-cross relates to that suspension setup than the current one which has a higher ground clearance .